CONTEXT


Tongaat Hulett has a significant presence in agriculture and agri-processing sectors in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The company partners with communities, regulators and governments to address some of the region’s socio-economic challenges, including job creation, food security, rural development and the provision of renewable energy.

    

2020 KEY STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PARAMETERS

The company is in its fifth year of focusing on its 2020 Key Strategic Sustainability parameters and continues to evolve on its journey as a significant role-player in the transformation of the region. Tongaat Hulett is continuously improving its sustainability data collection processes for all non-financial performance indicators and will continue to seek assurance over the most material sustainability indicators. Independent third-party assurance over key social and environmental performance indicators is viewed as an important step in ensuring that stakeholders are afforded a fair presentation of the company’s commitment to continuous improvement.

• Contributing to the development of successful rural communities, including indigenous farmers of sugarcane and other staple food crops, within the areas that surround business operations.
• Contributing to the development of successful rural communities, including indigenous farmers of sugarcane and other staple food crops, within the areas that surround business operations.
• Training and support for private farmers on better farming practices and resourceful land use to ensure sustainability and food security. This includes training youth from rural sugarcane communities on relevant agronomy techniques.
• Effectively managing the opportunities and risks created by climate change and responsible carbon management.
• Ensuring that management is able to address key sustainability elements in all areas of the business.
• Managing water resources and increasing resource efficiency in a responsible manner.
• Playing an active role in the renewable energy sector in the region.
• Ensuring that its products meet required food safety standards.
• Creating sustainable cities, towns and rural settlements, in collaboration and partnership with local authorities.
• Creating operational efficiencies, cost management and effective strategic procurement.

SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

Tongaat Hulett places significant value on being regarded as a responsible corporate citizen and strives toward creating value for its stakeholders in a responsible and ethical manner. Tongaat Hulett endorses the principles of transparency, communication and accountability as critical components of delivering on the expectations of the investment community, private farmers, local communities, governments, consumers, suppliers and employees. The company recognises that transparency and accountability in reporting are key priorities.

During the reporting period there were no significant changes in the size, structure or ownership of the company. There was no significant changes in the scope, boundary or measurement methods applied in the report, and there have been no restatements of prior year data, except where LTI data for 2012 and 2013 has been updated.

The company joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact in 2012. This initiative was started in 1999 by the UN to promote good corporate citizenship and companies can, on a voluntary basis, comply and report on the principles published on the website of the UN Global Compact - www.unglobalcompact.org. The inititive comprises ten major principles from the areas of human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and measures to combat corruption, and are covered in detail in this section of the report.

  
       
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